Automobile heater



March 9,1937. OBRECHT 2,073,023

AUTOMOBILE HEATER Filed Spt: so, 1955 l LL FIG.4. A FIG.5.

INVENTORS NORBERT LEWIS OBRECHT A TTORNE YS Patented Mar. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE- AUTOMOBILE HEATER Norbert Louis Obrecht, Pontiac, Mich. Application September so, 1935, Serial No. 42,945

7 Claims. (Cl. 257-256) Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view .of the heat This invention relates to heating systems and refers more particularly to heat exchange units of the type adapted to be installed in motor vehicle bodies.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to simplify, render more eificient, and improve generally vehicle body heating systems by providing a heat exchange unit comprising a mat for the flooring of the vehicle body having communiio cating passages therein for receiving a heating fluid.

Another feature of this invention consists in the provision of a heat exchange device associated with the floor covering of the vehicle body in such a manner that the device forms a unit with the floor covering. This arrangement not only materially facilitates installation ofthe heat exchange device, but also renders it possible to impart a relatively large radiating surface to the heat ex- 0 change device without sacrificing valuable space in the vehicle body and in addition, contributes materially to simplifying the cost of the heating system, since the well known characteristic of heated air to rise permits elimination of the force draft mechanism usually considered necessary in heating systems of the general type forming the subject matter of this invention.

Another advantageous feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a heat exchange unit comprising a series of communicating tubes arranged in the plane of the floor covering and capable of being embedded in the covering during the manufacture of the latter so as to form an integral construction therewith. In the event the floor covering is molded from a material containing rubber, the heat exchange unit may be molded within the covering in such a manner as to form an integral part thereof. With this construction it will be apparent that the heat exchange unit is installed in the vehicle body upon positioning the mat on the flooring of the body and the only remaining operation required to place the heating unit in operation is to couple the same with the usual supply and return lines of the heating system.

The foregoing, as well as other objects, will be exchange unit shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the lines 3-4 of Fig-- ure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the lines 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 4 showing a slightly modified form of. construction.

Referring now to the drawing, it will'be noted that there is fragmentarily illustrated in Figure incorporated in the mat during the molding operation so as to form an integral construction therewith.

For the purpose of illustration, the heat exchange unit I! is shown as comprising a plurality of communicating tubes I3 arranged in the plane of the portion of the mat within which the tubes are embedded and assembled to provide a series of coils it. Each of the coils I4 may be definedas having communicating intake and exhaust-portions l5 and I6 respectively. The exhaust portions l6 of the heat exchange unit communicate intermediate the ends thereof with a retum-man-. ifold I! and the intake portions l5 of the heat exchange unit, at one side of the return manifold, communicate with a supply manifold I8,

while the intake portions I! on the opposite side of the return manifold I1 communicate with a: second supply manifold i9.

For the purpose of illustrating the presentinvention, the intake manifolds communicate with the conventional water jackets of the internal combustion engine at points predetermined toim sure admitting the water to the heat exchange unit after the same has been heated by the engine. The return manifold also communicates with the water' circulating system of the internal combustion engine so as to provide for a circulation of the water, heated by the internal combustion engine, through the several coils of tubing M of the heat exchange unit.

As hereinbefore stated, the heat exchange unit previously described is molded in the floor mat ll during the formation of the latter to provide a unitary construction and, as shown in Figure 4, the mat is fashioned with a plurality of recesses 20 therein for receiving the several coils ll of the heat exchange unit. It will also be observed from the above figure that the heat exchange unit I2 is permanently secured in the mat by means of suitable spacers 2| anchored in the ribs 22 of the mat and having the opposite ends 5 respectively secured to the intake and exhaust portions of the coils. 'I'he ribs 22 are formed by recessing the mat as at 2| and, if desired, the upper ends of the ribs may be provided with enlarged head portions 22 adapted to extend over to portions of the tubes in a manner to substantially conceal thelatter. It will, of course, be understood that the adjacent edges of the heads 23' are spaced from each other a suillcient distance to permit the heated air adjacent the tubes to pass upwardly into the vehicle body.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention renders it possible to materially increasethe rotating surface of the heat exchange unit without interfering with the maximum leg room afforded by the particular design of the body. It will also be observed that by incorporating the heat exchange unit in the floor covering, the unit is not only substantially concealed from view but, in addition, renders it 25 possible to eliminate the usual force draft mechanism considered necessary in heating systems of the type heretofore commercially employed. In addition, the installation of the heating unit is appreciably simplified not only because of the relatively few parts involved, but also due to the fact that the heat exchange unit forms a unit with the floor mat and consequently, is assembled in its proper position in the vehicle body upon locating the mat on the flooring of the body.

It will also be understood from the foregoing description that the above advantages may be secured irrespective of the detailed construction of the heating unit and irrespective of the source of supply of the heating fluid. In-other words, various diiferent constructions of heating units, as well as various diflerent heating mediums, may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Therefore, reservation is made to make such changes in the details of construction previously described and shown in the drawing as may come within the purview of the, accompanying claims.

In Figure 5 of the drawing I have shown a slightly modified form of construction differing from the one previously described in that the base portions of the recesses 2| are grooved as at 25 to receive the lower portions of the tubes and the latter are secured in the grooves by means of strips 26. The strips 2' are molded in the rubber mat in such a manner as to extend over the tubes and through the ribs 22 formed by recessing the mat as at 20 What I claim as my invention is: 1. In a heating system for vehicle bodies, hav- 00 ing flooring and having a mat covering the flooring, a heat exchange unit comprising a plurality of communicating tubes arranged in recesses formed in the top surface of the mat, and' means for circulating a heated fluid through the tubes.

2. In a heating system for vehicle bodies having flooring, a mat covering the flooring and having recesses therein, a heat exchange unit comprising a plurality of communicating conduits located in said recesses and spaced below the tread surface of the mat, and means for circulating a heating medium through the conduits.

3. In a heating system for vehicle bodies having flooring, a mat covering the flooring and having'recesses in the top surface thereof, a heat exchange unit having a plurality of communicating conduits positioned in said recesses, ribs projecting upwardly from the mat between the conduits and extending to a position above the conduits to form a tread portion for the mat, and means for circulating a heating medium through the conduits.

4. In a heating system for vehicle bodies having flooring, a mat covering the flooring and having recesses in the top surface thereof, a heat exchange unit having a conduit positioned within each recess and communicating with each other, ribs extending upwardly from the top of the mat between adjacent conduits and having transverse portions at the upper ends thereof overlapping the conduits to form a tread portion for the mat, and means for circulating a heating medium through the conduits.

5. In a heating system for vehicle bodies having flooring, a mat covering the flooring and having recesses in the top surface thereof, a heat exchange unit having a conduit positioned within each recess and communicating with each other, T-shaped ribs extending upwardly from the top of the mat with the web portions thereof located between adjacent conduits and with-the heads thereof overlapping the conduits, and means for circulating a heating medium through the conduits.

6. In a heating system for vehicle bodies having flooring, a mat for the flooring having upwardly extending ribs spaced laterally from each other to provide recesses, a heat exchange unit having a conduit located in each recess and having the conduits communicating with each other, and means for circulating a heating medium through the conduits.

7. In a heating system for vehicle bodies having flooring, a mat for the flooring having upwardly extending ribs substantially T-shaped in cross section and spaced laterally from each other to provide a plurality of recesses between the web portions of the ribs, a conduit located in each recess and communicating with each other, and means for circulating a heating medium through the conduits. I

NORBERT LOUIS OBRECH'I. 

